


Crooked

by Mus1ing



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Con Artists, Crimes & Criminals, Double Agents, Espionage, F/M, Hit man, Organized Crime, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Thief, cop, grifter - Freeform, special agents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-02 16:22:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16308605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mus1ing/pseuds/Mus1ing
Summary: [F/n]... A name that lands on deaf ears of the every day person, but made anyone in the criminal underground walk a little more carefully. A master criminal who was more legend than reality. At least, until the day she's caught by special agent Kuroo Tetsurou and his team. She's given two choices: jail time, or switch sides. Things are about to get messy. Lines are going to be crossed, and things are going to end up a little bit... crooked.





	1. The Zenith

A piano forte was playing underneath the hoity toity hum of the city's elite dressed to the tens, talking about their company's monthly profits and vacation homes.  Silhouettes of evening gowns swinging uniformly to the music blended like a photograph. You snickered ruefully. A picture was worth a thousand words, but the only one that came to mind was fake. Their sincerity was fake. Their like for each other was fake. Their painted faces and their dolled up appearances were fake. At least four of the diamond necklaces you'd seen so far were fake.  Most importantly, even the charity ball was fake.

        It was nothing more than a chance to show off for each other and up their standing in the community at the same time. The same old game they usually play. If one person pays more than the other, they get the honor of being a better person than them and a richer person.  Little did they know that at the end of the night, you'd be the richest one of them all.

        You leaned against the cold marble wall at the edge of the ballroom, reading the room like a mystery novel that you knew the ending to, swirling a tall glass of bubbly in your gloved hand and taking in the view. It wouldn't be like that for long, and by the time it wasn't you and the money would be long gone.  All you had to do was wait until the MC announced that the collection time was over, double check your Go Gadget, dispose of the evidence and be on your way.  

        After this heist you were going to get out of town for a while and lay low. After all, you had done more than enough of your fair share of stealing and high-scale jobs to get the law hungrily on your tail.  An ominous shudder traveled up and down your spine, raising the hair on the back of your neck.  Something was off, and you were never one to ignore your instincts. You knocked back the rest of your bubbly, but took the glass with you to the bathroom.

        It shattered under your black pumps, and you swept up the remains of the cup into the restroom trash can, where they scattered among the rest of the litter.  Didn't want anyone doing a DNA trace on you.  Outside, the music was beginning to fade, and the elitists began to get louder. The evening was coming to a close, and you'd be damned if you missed your cue. Doing a once-over of yourself in the mirror, adjusting the long slit on your black evening gown and checking your Go Gadget, safely secured in a thigh halter. The transfer had begun, and it was nearing completion.  

        And just like that, you were out in the ballroom again, eyes scanning the landscape for a waiter with those fancy finger foods. Being good at that voodoo that you do was hungry work and you'd be halfway on a flight to New Zealand for a much needed vacation far out of the jurisdiction of your current offense. You could practically feel the crisp, clean mountain air from the ballroom. An anticipatory smile tugged at the ends of your lips.

        "Hey there, gorgeous," a deep, sultry voice purred behind you, snapping you out of your day dream.  It belonged to a tall, dark, handsome man with his bangs hanging over one eye and a Cheshire grin that said more than you'd like to hear.  You smiled and closed the distance between you two, placing a hand on his firm, toned chest.  If you hadn't been working, the money wouldn't have been what you took home with you this evening. A melancholy hum escaped you as you walked your finger tips up his chest and behind his neck, cupping the nape and tilting his head down to you as your other hand roamed his body, seemingly curious and hungry. You were giving him a pat down and... ah. Either Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome was into some kinky things, or he was a cop.

        "What's your name, handsome?" you hummed, your searching hand seamlessly drifting back to his chest. His amber eyes were smoldering yours as he put a hand just below the small your back.  Your breath hitched only in the slightest. His head came down to your ear, his breath tickling your earlobe. Every nerve of you felt his mouth open to answer. He was deliberately slow, savoring every second of his teasing.

        "Kuroo Tetsurou."

        The ominous chill ran up and down your spine again, and you realized that what had unsettled you before was nothing other than his eyes on you.  Guess that was a no on taking him home. You liked a little danger every now and then, but there was a line.  You couldn't help but smile.  This was the closest a member of law enforcement has ever been to you. And ever will be for a while, so you figured you'd savor it. But alas, the clock was ticking and the MC was walking to the microphone.

        "Hmmm," you mused, playing with a button on his suit, "And how long have you been on the force, Kuroo Tetsurou?"

        You felt his firm body freeze and hints of a cold sweat begin to rear their ugly head. You got him. Now for the real dance.  His cover had been blown, the whole operation was at its peak and your heist was about to climax. If there ever was one, this was the moment for him to catch you.  His grip on your waist tightened, and you seized both of your hands on him.  If he was going to get physical, you were in the perfect position to throw him. But it wouldn't come to that. Something inside you knew.

        If he was clever enough to get this close to you, he was clever enough not to make a scene.  Yet you could tell a semblance of hope stubbornly remained in the dashing agent.  He was certain that you couldn't get out of his arms, and a part of you was reluctant to as well. They snaked around you so desperately. It was a lovely sight. It was too bad you were about to crush it.

        "Now before we announce the winner, I'd like to call the organizer of this event to the stage to do the honors!" The MC cheered into the microphone as a spotlight began searching the audience, "Please welcome to the stage......"

        And the spotlight landed on the two of you. 

        "Miss Kurokawa Hibiki!" The last bit of hope was diminished from his eyes, and was replaced quickly by fire. Oooh. He was feisty. You had to admit, you actually didn't hate it. Your hand tilted his head down to yours, and you crashed your lips into his in a deep, passionate kiss. The second he began to kiss back, you broke away and left him, bewildered, on the edge of the room as you waved to your adoring, fake populace. 

        "Everyone, thank you so much for coming to the first annual Kurokawa Foundation fund raiser for cleaner water!" you cheered, applauding them from the stage, "I am so pleased with how successful tonight has been, and I'm sure I'm not the only one who has had such a lovely evening."

        You took your Go Gadget out from its holster, checked your donation amount and smiled. The money had been split and donated to three off-shore accounts. Calculating how much it cost to rent the venue and to pay all the staff, you had made about a 2.5 million dollar profit.

        "And without further delay, the biggest donor tonight is.... Oikawa Seijiro!" you cheered. The room filled with boisterous applause; the perfect cover for you to slip away under. You handed the mic back to the MC and did what you do best: blend in and disappear. You took your plan B route, which was planned just in case someone (like a certain sneaky, handsome agent) made things not go according to plan.  With a press on your Go Gadget's touch screen, the texture of your glove's finger tips and your pumps transitioned just like you programmed to, and you scaled down the building, taking in the city view.

        After all, this was going to be the last time you were going to see the sparkling city-scape for a while. You'd have to extend your trip a little longer since the heat got so close on your trail.  Not that you minded. It's always a good idea to double check the safe-houses where you held all of your more valuable trophies. 

        You walked to your old motorcycle, relishing in the sound of the ignition starting to roar. You took off the last piece that the evening left with you, a tracking device Kuroo thought he snuck onto you, and sped away. 

        Nice try, you thought to yourself, But no cigar.

        And you were gone.


	2. Icarus

                You and your old bike roared to a stop in front of an old diner, located under the looming figure of a highway bridge. If it weren't for loyal clientele such as yourself, the aged, flittering neon lights would have gone out years ago. It had everything you'd ever need. It was open late, had great food and was completely hidden from the rest of the world.

        A bell hanging from the door handle rang as you pushed it open, letting the owner of the joint know he was expecting an old friend. Akaashi Keiji looked up from the glass he was polishing and nodded at you.  He used to be like you, a denizen of the criminal underground, specializing in forgery.  Ace is what they used to call him.  Unlike you, he managed to get out of the business and make a name for himself in this little hole in the wall restaurant.  

        "If it isn't [F/n]," the sullen, black-haired restauranteur mumbled as he put the glass away, "I suppose you want something to eat after the stunt you pulled tonight."

        "I'll take the usual," you answered, seating yourself in you usual place at the counter, "Has word already traveled that fast?"

        Akaashi's sharp eyes wavered cautiously, concerned.  Even back in his glory days he'd known you were never going to get out of the game. You were either going to end up in jail or dead somewhere out in the world because you were so stubborn.  It was an unspoken agreement between you two that he'd never bring up his disapproval of your lifestyle.  But your Hibiki heist had crossed a line into dangerously oblivious territory, even though they were just rumors at this point. You were flying too high, and if you didn't keep your wits about you, you were going to get burned and come crashing down.

        He slid a small cup of whiskey down the bar, which you caught and took a nice swig of. There was nothing like the way the liquor burned on the way down, followed by the spreading of mirth and warmth through your blood stream. It would hold you until Akaashi was done with your ramen.

        It wasn't like you were completely deaf to Akaashi's reservations about your job. Heck, you even envied him sometimes.  Sure, he didn't exactly get out of the game completely. His restaurant, Fukurou, was one of the best hubs to get the latest gossip and hear the word on the street.  Instead of trafficking contraband, information was exchanged within the seedy walls and the flickering lights.  Most importantly, he settled down in one place and made a name for himself.

        You, on the other hand, only had one thing to your name: your mother's old motorcycle.  The rest of your possessions weren't yours, they were collateral and trophies that had belonged to someone else. And the rest of your possessions and safe houses belonged to different aliases.  Even this place was at best somewhere where you could roost for a little while before flying away again.  Even you, with your immense wealth and notoriety sometimes wished for some kind of constant. Nothing a glass of whiskey couldn't help you forget.

        The delicious, savory odor of your ramen came from around the corner along with your old friend, bowl in hand. It slid down the table, and you caught it with one hand and the chopsticks he tossed you with the other.  Gotta keep your reflexes sharp. The chopsticks snapped and you were wolfing down your meal while Akaashi's eyes drilled holes into you. You were quite the sight to behold, scarfing down your food and chugging your liquor with about as much decorum as a starving lioness at the carcass of an antelope, all the while looking like you belonged in a golden age Hollywood movie.

        "So," you said, some food still in your mouth, "What's the latest, Keiji? Word definitely hasn't gotten out about my heist yet, so how did you catch wind of it? No one knows any of my heists are done by one person except you."

        His thick eyebrows furrowed in a slight of bitterness, his arms crossed across his chest.  Something other than the hot ramen burned in your intestines. 

        "One of my regulars," he answered, "He's on a special team that's been tracking you down for years.  I was worried that I wasn't going to see you tonight." It was a good thing you weren't holding the glass, because you were just about ready to throw it across the room. Worried? 

        "Were you ever planning to give me a heads up that there would be cops, or were you just leaving me to the hands of fate?" you spat, slamming your chop sticks down on the table, "After I wiped your slate clean and took credit for all of your shit?"

        He glanced down, slightly ashamed, slightly at a loss for words. In all honesty, he never even imagined that anyone would be able to get close to you.  He was the only thing closest to a friend that you had, and after everything you did to get him out, he wanted nothing but to keep you safe and sound. He tried once more to find some words to console the betrayal you must be feeling right now.

        "You don't understand, Keiji!" you yelled, getting up and slamming your fist on the counter, "What if your regular ties you to me? You could lose everything you've worked to build! What if he already has?"

        Akaashi's mouth dropped a little in pure disbelief. Your anger wasn't about you in the first place. You were angry for his sake.  A wave of disappointment and worry washed over him as the full understanding of what he could have done occurred to him.  He had gotten a false sense of calm because almost everything from his past had been erased. He'd given up everything to build this new life. Everything except you. Both of you knew that it would have been for the best if you'd parted ways, but deep down you both knew you needed each other. A bitter tear formed in the corner of your [e/c] eyes when you realized what you had to do. You swung back the last of your whiskey and started for the door.

        "[F/n], wait," he called, leaping over the counter. You weren't going to look back. If he saw you crying, he wasn't going to let you leave when you absolutely had to. If you saw the tenderness and care in his eyes, you were going to want to stay. This was the way it had to be.

        "I gotta go," you said, as the world around you began to move in slow motion. You hand gripped the cold, metal handle of the door, taking in every inch as if it was the last time. Who knew if it was. The bell jingled against the door and the cold night air poured into the restaurant through the sliver made by the ajar door.

        "[F/n]," he implored, taking step by languoring step towards you while your feet were frozen at the threshold. His large, work-calloused hand wrapped around yours and it felt like it was wrapping around your heart instead of your hands.

        "It has to be this way," you insisted, your voice barely coming out.  They say the truth is hard to swallow, but who ever thought it was so much harder for it to come out the other way?

        "You haven't paid for your food," he said, trying not to sound like he desperately tried to find a reason for you not to go.  You couldn't help but chuckle, a motion that set the tears you'd been holding in cascading down your cheeks.

        "Maybe next time you'll know better than to serve a meal to a criminal," you retorted, which came out sharper than you meant it to.  It was so hard to keep yourself from losing control when if felt like your home was burning to the ground around you.  His rough hand squeezed yours. Those hands that were rough and strong from years of building Fukurou from the ground up, going to bar-tending school and slaving over a hot stove. You weren't about to let all of those years disappear in just a moment.

        "We have a zero tolerance policy for dine and dashers here," he whispered, his voice rumbling in his chest, rife with emotion. He was so close you could feel it echoing in his thoracic cavity like thunder. You smiled, laughing ruefully as you shook your head. He just wasn't going to let you go, was he? You turned around, watching something inside him crumble as he saw the state you were in. It had been so long since he'd last seen you so vulnerable.

        "Then you'll have to put it on my tab," you said with your trembling voice, "And I'll pay it whenever I come back."

        His free hand somehow made its way to your face without you noticing, tenderly wiping the trail of tears from your face and caressing your cheek.  His hands remained on your vigilantly. You might be a shadow to the rest of the world, but you weren't about to slip through his fingers into the night.

        "Promise?" 

        You rested your head on his chest, took a deep breath and sighed exhaustedly. It was a good thing you were more yielding than he was or else you'd be standing at the door letting cold air in for the entire night.

        "I promise. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a flight to catch in a few hours. I'll see you when I see you, Keiji. Take care."

        Akaashi tilted your face up to him and left a gentle kiss on your forehead. Although you took it, that kind of unbridled affection wasn't something you were used to, squirming awkwardly in your stunning black evening gown.

        "Be careful of those guys," he warned, "I don't know the names of the rest of the team, but my regular goes by Bokuto Kotaro."

        You exchanged knowing smiles, and Akaashi finally let go of you. Just like that, you disappeared into the night once more. Now you had two names to work with, and a studio apartment to clear out before your flight.  The engine revved, and you became one with the city air. The chase was on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

Finally, the luxurious black evening gown you'd been wearing all night fell to the floor of your ratty little studio apartment. You had cleared out all of the tech you had used for the heist, taken it apart and placed it in four different recycling bins around the neighborhood after wiping all of the hard drives squeaky clean.  There was no such thing as being too careful, especially now that the law was nipping at your heels. The mattress lying in the corner of the room had been stripped of its sheets, and the mini fridge was thawing outside clean of finger prints, where you'd leave it until someone either disposed of it or stole it for themselves.  A large duffel bag was packed almost to the brim with everything you owned. The charger for your Go Gadget and a small maintenance kit, lay outside since you still needed to convert the masterpiece of technology into a cell phone so you could get it through security. You put on an over-sized, grey sweater, some red athletic shorts and traded your black pumps for a pair of white sneakers.  A white baseball cap with red streaks hung on the door knob. You were basically ready to bounce, with an hour of leisure to work on your Go Gadget.

        There was nothing wrong with living with the bare minimum.  As much as you'd entertained living in the lap of luxury, it was too risky to set up a permanent residence anywhere, and the less you had, the quicker you could disappear at a moment's notice.  You could barely even remember what it was like to have a normal home.  Although at this temporary residence, you knew what it was like to occasionally have someone to come home to. 

        A familiar scratching on the window made a bittersweet feeling blossom inside of you.  It was a neighborhood cat, sleek and completely black.  You were hoping she'd show up tonight, since it was your last.  You opened the window and she hopped in, rubbing herself against your legs, occasionally stepping on your feet.  You picked her up and snuggled your face into her soft coat.  Akaashi wasn't the only one you were going to miss. 

        "Woooow, them's the pits, huh, Hibiki?" a familiar deep voice cooed from the bathroom door.  The cat leaped out of your arms and scrambled to the corner of the room with a shocked yowl. No, you thought to yourself, There's no way. There's no way this is happening. 

        "Or should I call you [F/n]?" Kuuro Tetsurou purred, walking out from the shadows with the most self-serving smirk you'd ever seen on someone's face. If you weren't so angry, you'd be shaking in your sneakers. But he wasn't the only feisty one in the room, and he wasn't about to circle you like a panther in your own damn house.

        "How'd you find me?" you snarled, "How the HELL did you find me?"

        He took a step towards you, and you grabbed your Go Gadget. You hadn't started converting it yet, so you were still in the clear. All you had to do was get out of the apartment with your duffel bag.  

        "It took a lot of hard work," he confessed, relishing every second of the moment, "And a lot of unanswered questions. But hey, what else could you expect looking from someone who's legally dead?"

        Adrenaline spiked through every millimeter of your blood stream. The impossible had become possible. You were supposed to be a ghost, and yet the grinning monster before you had tracked you down and was barely two feet away from having a shadow in his grasp. 

        "It's such a shame a gorgeous woman like you has been in hiding all this time," he snickered, taking a step closer to you, "I quite enjoyed the view tonight."

        Your face burned, and matched your shorts in hue. How long had he been standing in the room without you noticing? Dammit. Dammit! You should have been more careful!

        "You still never answered how you found me," you demanded, "I took off the tracking device you put on me!" His grin grew wider, something you had not thought possible. He took a step closer. He was enjoying every moment and you hated him for it. 

        "The only thing left in your family after the incident was a vintage motorcycle," he hummed, closing the distance between you, "That model is rather rare in this city, my dear [F/n]. And your dress wasn't the only thing I'd put a tracking device on tonight."  Your stomach sank. If he was tracking your bike, he could have known you were at Akaashi's place. Your mind was running a mile a minute, running through possible escape patterns, all for nothing. You couldn't fight him, because then you'd have cause to be arrested for assault. As of now, you didn't know if he had anything on you. He never said he was charging you.  And you couldn't leave without knowing that Akaashi was okay.  There was only one course of action that you knew you had to take, but God dammit, it was the last of last resorts. It was now or never. All or nothing. You took a deep breath, since you didn't have the luxury to keep your eyes closed and put everything you had into a leap for your Go Gadget.

        Barely a second after you sprang into action, Kuroo followed suit, but you were too nimble. You managed to dodge him, using the small space of the studio apartment to your advantage, smashed your Go Gadget on the kitchen counter and swept the remains into the unforgiving blades of the garbage disposal.  You were officially at rock bottom without it, but there was nothing they could get on you that'd justify keeping you in custody longer than 24 hours.  You'd have to call in a few favors, but you'd be able to build a new one.  Kuuro's power and confidence diminished into desperation. That wasn't necessarily a good thing.         

        You dodge his lunge again, scooping the cat into your arms and jumping out the window, rolling as you hit the ground. You weren't the best of the best just for your resourcefulness.  Unfortunately, you were matched well by your adversary. 

        "Hey, hey, hey! Where do you think you're going?" a loud voice called from in front of you. Before you stood another tall man, with spiked hair resembling horns. It shone various shade of slate in the street lights. He jumped towards you, but you ducked and rolled out of the way, keeping the cat safe. There was no way you could keep it that way for long, with him pursuing you. Just as he was about to jump at you again, you screamed.

        "STOP!"

        Much to your surprise, the horned mystery man actually heeded you, waiting with anticipatory eyes for what you were going to say next. You set down the cat, and pat its back, shooing it away. The cat was just as clever as you were, because it knew the best thing to do in this situation was to get as far away from this situation as possible. Hopefully you'd follow suit. 

        "Okay, we can carry on."

        His nose scrunched in confusion, but he easily shrugged it off and lunged for you with a roar. Unfortunately for him, you were far too nimble, and you enjoyed playing with him, staying just barely out of reach every time. Eventually he'd tire out and you'd be in the clear just as long as Kuroo didn't crash the party. Feeling a chill run down your spin, you waited. Just a second. Just a second more. Spiky head was a finger tip's width away from you when you dodged to the left, knowing your hunch was on point by the sound of him and Kuroo crashing into each other. After the longest game of cat and mouse you'd ever had the misfortune of enduring, it was finally here. Your exit route. All you had to do was give them a slip, hot-wire a car and skip town. As much as it killed you to leave the only thing left of your family, you had hit rock bottom and once your instincts kicked in, you were prepared do to the only thing you knew how to: survive.  

        "Oh, no you don't," a smooth voice swayed into your ears. You didn't stop to turn until a pathetic mewl followed, and a rage bubbled inside you. Oh no they didn't...

        Spinning on your heel, you met eyes with a handsome brunette, holding your feline friend by the scruff. In the dim light of the street at night, you could see her trembling as she dangled from his hands. Fire pumped through your veins as he reached behind him for a gun tucked in the back of his pants. Screw getting arrested for assault. You were about to get arrested for murder. 

        "Put her down," you snarled, "She didn't do anything to deserve this." Something told you this wasn't a bluff. That something was the genuine shock on Kuroo's face as he witnessed you and his squad mate face off. The brunette's hand was still behind his back. You still had time to save her, and for the first time in your life, your innate instinct of self-preservation was betrayed by your foolish, valiant heart. 

        Next thing you knew, you pounced the monster, tackling him to the ground. The soft sound of paws padding on the ground was your cue to go crazy. Suddenly the malice in the brunette's eyes were gone, and he lifted both of his hands above his head in surrender.

        "It was a joke!" he said, "You can get off, it's just a--"

        He was cut off by your fist making solid contact with his jaw. He caught your hand as you were going in for another hit, but you pressed your knee on his elbow and used his hold on you to propel your other knee up in a clean upper cut. He pushed you over, and you switched positions, being held against the ground by your arms. You tucked your legs into your stomach and rolled backwards, pulling his arms in and loosening his grip on you enough for him to break free.

        "Do you see me laughing?" you asked, staring down your two adversaries as the other picked himself up off of the ground. As great as you were at combat, you weren't sure if you could get away at this point. Kuroo chuckled ruefully, stroking the cat in his arms. The brunette was about to hit you up for round two, when Kuroo stopped him.

        "So how do you see yourself getting out of this?" he asked, stroking her fur as she contently purred. Who could have known that a cat would be your biggest traitor? Looking him up and down, it was actually hard to tell who was actually the villain here.

        "I don't know how," you answered honestly, "But I don't have a choice. I'm not going to jail."

        "Who ever said anything about going to jail?" he said, raising a cocky eyebrow. Your brow furrowed in confusion and after that question you were even more on edge than before. You had just assumed that Kuroo was a cop judging by the wire he had on during the con. 

        "Are you a mercenary?"

        The brunette and Spiky broke out laughing while Kuroo's eyes simply glittered in amusement. He seemed almost flattered, despite you missing the mark. The embarrassed scowl on your face made the moment even more delicious for the detective. 

        "You're already going to have to come with us for putting a few dents in Oikawa's pretty face," he said while Spiky grinned victoriously in the background. Oikawa rubbed his now swelling face in scorn, shrinking away from you when your eyes landed on him.

        "Honestly, I think it's an improvement," you replied, cocking your hips to the side and crossing your arms across your chest. Kuroo's eyes shimmered and despite his attempts to stay neutral, Spiky broke out laughing while Oikawa grit his teeth in embarrassment.

        "Also, you have no proof that it was me who did that," you added, "I chose this neighborhood specifically because of their lack of surveillance."

        "Whoa, aren't you worried about being stolen from?" Spiky asked, tilting his head to the side. His hazel eyes practically glowed in the scarce light, and with his head askew, he eerily resembled an owl. The only thing he was missing seemed to be a serious bone in his body.

        "Honestly, Bokuto," Kuroo said, "If anyone broke into her place, they'd probably feel so sorry for her that they'd go, buy her something and check in every week to make sure she's okay."

        His attempt to get a rise out of you was a total miss, but the zinger was a total hit with his jubilant comrade.  This might have been your closest encounter with law enforcement since your early days, but it was hands down the weirdest. Why the hell were you still there? You rolled your eyes and turned to leave. Bokuto was about to jump for you when Kuroo held out his hand, stopping the confused slate-haired owl-man.

        "Don't you want to know what happened to your mom?" he asked, his voice practically singing that he had just pulled out his trump card.  There was something about it that made your gut scream that it wasn't a bluff. Yes, you did. Deep down some place with all of those irrational, burdensome ideas and feelings you'd always swept under the rug, you had always wanted to.  But you also didn't. Part of you practically feel the answer on the tip of your tongue , but every time you felt it there, you didn't like the taste it left in your mouth. You didn't want to find out if you were right, since your life plan had consisted on being alive and free ever since the incident.  It wasn't his place to open that Pandora's box. Hell, it wasn't even his place to know it existed. But this night you had felt more human than you had in years, and if you disappeared then you'd never see him again. Some heat rushed to your cheeks, and you corrected yourself. You'd never find out what really happened. You'd never get carried away with feeling or put someone before yourself.  It was supposed to be a good thing, but for some reason the thought of it ate away at you like nothing else.

        "Okay, I'll bite. What do you know?" you surrendered, turning to face the group again. Something was wrong. Bokuto looked shameful, Kuroo smirked victoriously, and Oikawa was no where to be seen. You didn't even have a chance to process that you had been conned when Oikawa's hand made contact, knocking you out stone cold. 


	4. Chapter 4

The first thing that came to you was the relentless, pounding ache in your head, then the frigid metal of the table. You tried to move before your whole consciousness had finished returning to you, and it shot back when you felt the sensation of being restrained by the cuffs around your wrists. Of course Kuroo arrests you when you don't have anything on your person to pick the lock with.  Although, you supposed as you examined the room around you, it wouldn't have been the best idea to do so anyway.  Since they still didn't have anything on you, it would have been reckless and suspicious as hell to break out of your cuffs in full view. Much to your disappointment, there wasn't a trick window like you'd seen in cop shows.  So much for being old school. However, you weren't ruling out a trick wall. Everything was technological these days, and if you could create your Go Gadget, a federal agency could definitely make a trick wall.

        Keeping your head down on the table, you sold the headache as something like more of a migraine as a distraction while you dragged your hands across the end of the table, checking for any bugs. There was one on the right corner of the side of the table you were on. You sat up slowly, your muscles stiff from being out in such an awkward position for so long. How long were you out for? Stretching out the crinks in your neck and back, you tried to make it look like you were in less pain. After all, balance was always the key to a good distraction, especially since the eyes you were under now were professionally trained.  There was a camera in the far left corner of the room, but something in your gut said there was something more.  Your gut also said that it was starving, loud enough to echo off the walls and fill the silence of the lonely room. You shrugged internally. Taking on three full-grown men was hungry work. 

        "I wonder if she's okay..." you muttered under your breath, thinking about the cat that got you into this mess in the first place. It'd leave a bad taste in your mouth if she ended up all alone. Or worse. Especially after all of this.

        "Hey, hey, hey! Did someone say they're lonely?" a jubilant voice cheered from the doorway. Bokuto marched in, goofy grin on his face and more importantly, food in his hand. Your heart fluttered when you recognized it as one of Akaashi's lunch specials. It reminded you that they were closer to your home turf than anyone else had ever been, and when you left this room, that'd have to change big time. However, your hostility was drowned out by your body practically begging for food.

        "How long have I been in here?" you asked, covering up your vulnerability by turning away from the meal in your chair. Temptation wouldn't help you now. Bokuto furrowed his brow in concern, frowned a little and pushed the food towards you. Ah. The classic good cop. Your vulnerability would be useful in this situation after all.

        "I..." you trailed off, tears forming in the corners of your eyes as your stare became downcast, "I don't know if I can manage to eat anything right now. Last night was just so... traumatizing..."

        Bokuto's breath hitched in his throat as he hesitated, not quite knowing how to comfort you. The sound of him leaning back in his chair, speechless sounded like a victory. A short lived one, once he remembered what he saw you were capable of last night and leaned forward again. It was the first time a criminal had made him forget why they were in the interrogation room in the first place.

        "Alright," he sighed, "You're not gonna be charged with assaulting an officer, resisting arrest, or obstruction of justice. Last night was something for all of us. We just want to talk to you, yeah? So why don't you eat something?  I got it from my favorite place. It's a total hole in the wall. Maybe I could take you sometime?"

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        "Sweet Jesus," Oikawa groaned, rolling his eyes, "Did he just ask her out? What the hell is going on in that room?  AND SINCE WHEN ARE WE NOT CHARGING HER?"

        Kuroo examined the scene in front of him, his arms crossed across his chest. He knew you were good, but he didn't know you were that good. And honestly, it didn't matter that Bokuto was flaking in the interrogation room.  He sent his old pal in there to test the waters and see just exactly what he was getting into so he wouldn't go in there blind. 

        "Shut up, Oikawa," he said, tapping his fingers on his forearm in thought, "You wouldn't do much better if you were in the room."

        The brunette gritted his teeth and turned his attention back to the room rather than admit that his partner was right. Your gaze had shot up from your lap. There were real tears in your eyes, starting to fall into your lap. Most terrifyingly, there was real fear. Yet somehow you had the whole room in the palm of your hand. How the hell did Kuroo manage to find this monster?

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        "Wh-what do you mean assaulting a police officer?" you stammered, your lips trembling as a tear slid down your cheek, "That brunette guy was going to kill my cat!"

        Bokuto's hands shot up instinctively, but he caught himself again as he was about to caress you or pat your head or do something to make all your sadness go away. You sniffled, wiping your nose on the sleeve of your sweatshirt as your crying gradually became more desperate.

        "He was about to kill my only friend in the whole world," you whimpered, crying into your sleeve, "What was I supposed to do, huh? Just let him kill her?"

        Completely flabbergasted, Bokuto turned and looked at the wall behind him, pleading for some kind of help before he fully believed that they were the bad guys. When he heard a woeful mewl escape from your muffling sleeve, he was already halfway there.  Bingo. Trick wall indeed. All according to plan.

 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                "Oh my God," Oikawa said lowly, "She got him. She knows about the wall now. Kuroo, you need to get your ass in there NOW."

        "Oi. You need to stop panicking," Kuroo replied sternly, keeping his voice level, "In case you haven't noticed, she's getting to you, too. I'll get in there when the time is right.  Bokuto is doing fine. Not that you'd know anything about it, but being an honest person is one of the most powerful things you can be in this business."

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        You helped yourself to the dumplings, chewing quietly as Bokuto stared at you with his intent, owl eyes. They were like pools of liquid amber, rippling in concern. The familiar taste of Akaashi's food kept you resilient to them, though. You've rarely ever felt remorse for lying, and you weren't about to start in an interrogation room. 

        "You sure you're okay?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. The food wasn't going down quite as easy with him showering you with all of this needless concern. It left a bad taste in your mouth and a small pit in your stomach.

        "Oikawa knocked me out cold, and I was arrested without being read my rights and chained like an animal," you snapped, mouth half-full, "How the hell do you think I'm doing?"

        The spiky-headed detective looked at his lap guiltily. He ran a hand through his sterling, salt and pepper hair and rested his head in his hands.

        "You're right," he confessed, catching you off-guard, making you stop mid-chew, "I don't know what we thought we were doing. I don't know anything anymore."

        What the hell was going on? This didn't seem like a joke or a scam. Your eyes widened in disbelief. Was this guy actually dejected right now? In the middle of an interrogation? Not knowing what else to do, you pushed your plate towards him, completely at a loss. His gaze went up only ever so slightly, and he began to eat at the pace of a clinically depressed sloth.

        "Well, at least I know how to eat," he laughed sadly, a bit of food falling out of his mouth, "Even if I can't do my job right, at least I won't starve to death, am I right? Ha ha ha..."

        Now it was your turn to look at the trick wall. 

        What the hell is this? you mouthed, pointing stealthily as the once jubilant good cop was basically a puddle in the chair across from you.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        "Oh my God," Oikawa chuckled, holding his sides and trying to muffle his laughter, "Even the master manipulator is at a loss for words! This is fantastic!"

        Kuroo's Cheshire grin was so wide and perfect it could have been seen from a mile away.  All according to plan. His turn was coming right up, and you were about to be in for the ride of your life.  Time for some bad cop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! And thank you for the kudos! I'm glad you guys are enjoying this.


	5. V. Will-O-Wisps

        Unsure whether it was a God-send or your executioner, Kuroo swung the interrogation room door open, a hefty file (more like an encyclopedia) under his arm, smiling with the confidence of a man who held your entire life in his hands. You scowled. Nope. Definitely not a God-send. You took a vicious bite out of another dumpling, completely ignoring the forlorn figure of Bokuto across the table from you. You had bigger, cheekier fish to fry.

        "Bokuto, you did a phenomenal job," he cheered, flourishing his praise with noncommittal clapping, "It's my turn to take over, so you get some well-needed rest. You can hang out in the observation room next door, or take a nice, long, lunch break. You've earned it."

        Bokuto perked up at the praise, smiling gratefully at his partner as he nodded, practically sparkling, and walked out of the room, catching a high-five on the way out. You followed the drastically changed man with your eyes in confusion. Once the door slammed, they zeroed in on Kuroo, who was unable to hide the predatory glee in his eyes.

        "Why'd you tell me about the trick wall?" you asked, taking another bite from your lunch and sitting back in your seat.  He loosened his tie with one hand, firing off a loaded smirk that sent shivers down your spine. Despite yourself, you squirmed in your seat awkwardly. He was almost attractive.

        "Well, unlike someone," he purred as he took Bokuto's seat, "I don't lie about things that someone already knows aren't true." 

        You bit the inside of your cheek and tossed the last bit of a dumpling into your mouth. Scratch that. Definitely not attractive. Must have been the fluorescent lights or something.  He dropped the massive folder on the table in between you, making a loud bang and sending your plate half an inch into the air. 

        "So," you said dryly, pointing at the folder unfazed and unimpressed, "What's in the folder?"

        He grinned at you and took a dumpling off of your plate, popping it in his mouth. You kept your cool despite him touching your own damn food, knowing the gesture was deliberately supposed to rile you up.

        "I'm soooo glad you asked," he said, opening it up and fingering the pages, "This is the biggest case of my career. I'm rather proud of it. Records, photos, dozens, if not hundreds of unsolved property crimes..."

        He began sifting through pictures and papers, choosing a few to toss out on the table in front of you.  Your arms found themselves defensively crossed across your chest, eyes focused on the shadowy figure flipping through your case file like it was a family photo album.  The way his bangs fell over on of his eyes made them glimmer whenever the lights caught his glances.

        "....Even a suicide."

        You shot to your feet, slamming your fists on the table, unable to contain your outrage any longer. Taking your food was one thing, but his finger was tracing a button that should never be pressed. He paused leisurely, only his eyes lifting from the paper and landing on your trembling form.

        "You okay there, [F/n]?" he asked, tossing a picture of a house burned to cinders at your shackled hands, "Did I strike a nerve?"

        Fighting against ever fiber of your being, you forced yourself to sit down. If you assaulted him now, there would actually be footage and you'd be done for. You bit the inside of your mouth, forcing it shut. You could taste the salty, metallic tang of blood on your tongue. It was damn better than giving him the satisfaction of you losing yourself.

        "How long has it been since someone called you that?" he asked, tossing a picture of your mother's old mug shot at you, "Like mother like daughter, huh?"

        You flew across the table, grabbing him and lifting him inches away from your face by the collar. His hands were lifted in surrender, the perfect image for the cameras.

        "My mother did whatever she had to so we could survive," you snarled through gritted, bare teeth. If looks could kill, you'd have been holding a corpse in your hands, "Don't you DARE compare someone like her to someone like me."

        One of his hands grabbed your face gently, his large fingers tenderly tracing your cheek and jawline. You tightened your grip on his collar until your knuckles turned white to keep you from punching the smile off of his face.   

        "What do you mean 'someone like you'?" he inquired innocently, "I thought you were an innocent citizen, illegally arrested for absolutely no reason?"

        Your grip fell to pieces and your whole body went numb when the full realization of what you had just done hit you like a freight train. Did he have you cornered? You gritted your teeth. God dammit, he had you now.

        "It wasn't a suicide," you confessed, your voice shaking almost as badly as your body, "It was a murder. I know it was."

        Hot tears of rage flowed down your face like a tempest as you took the two photographs in your hand. You felt sick just looking at them, and your heart broke again when you realized that this was the last picture left of her. There was nothing in the incident report about how she'd always smile when she was defeated, or how she was the strongest person you ever knew. There were no pictures of the late night dinners you'd have, laughing and being more than content with the very little you had. There was no surveillance footage of how her long, auburn hair would fall into her face and she'd make a funny sound every time she blew it out of her face just to make you smile. Just her mug shot. A heavy sob wracked your chest as you broke down. Your arm hit the table as you tried to keep yourself from collapsing under the weight of the grief.

        "And if you had done your damn jobs, she'd still be alive!" you screamed, as the room turned red.  After tensing, ready to fight, your body fell limp, collapsing into your chair, and you could only cry the years of pent up misery and grief you had bottled up.  You had no energy left to fight anymore.  You hadn't expected the same law who was incompetent enough to let her die to use your greatest weakness against you. Not in a million years. 

        Kuroo nodded, gathering up the triggering pictures since he got what he wanted, tucking them away in the depths of  the folder. He gathered up all of the photos and cases he chose since he didn't need them anymore, closing the file and pushing it off to the side so there was only the table in between you two. Suddenly, everything sharp about him softened, and the hunter's glare in his eyes became something tender... like concern. You scowled. Or pity.

        "We think so, too," he cooed, leaning forward gingerly, somehow being aware of every single inch in between you two, as if he didn't want to go a single one too far and scare you away.  You froze, and examined his face, unable to believe he just said what you could have sworn you heard him say. Unwavering, he kept your gaze. Holy crap. He was serious.

        "And we want your help to catch him."

        Then, you did the very last thing you'd ever expected that you'd do today. You laughed. All of Kuroo's momentum was swept away at your response, and the cool cat was beginning to blush. After all of the trouble he'd gone to, after all the impressive work he'd done, the years of preparation, the late nights and you're laughing of all things? This was not how he pictured his big moment.

        "You want my help?" you chortled, tapping the table in surrender, "To catch him? The Master Crow?"

        "Y-yeah," he stammered, trying to recover his cool, "We have enough in this case file to put you away for life and a half.  It's either go to the slammer, or join my team to help us take him down. It's a double-win for you, so why wouldn't you?"

        Your rolled your eyes and popped another dumpling in your mouth. It was actually kind of cute how he was getting sheepish now of all times. It was nice to know Kuroo was actually human and not some kind of black panther. You reached under the cold metal and crushed the audio bug in the corner of the table you had located when you were just coming to. 

        "Listen, Kuroo," you said, crossing your legs and lounging back, "You never told me I was under arrest, nor did you read me my rights.  I'm guessing that you ran my prints and got my first alias, Koeda Iroha, who doesn't have any charges on record.  So you have nothing on that front either. Even if you have me connected to the fire, you can't keep me until you prove I committed a crime. Circumstantial evidence isn't enough to get me 'life and a half.'  It's barely enough to get a trial. And I'm not even going to ask why you've really been hunting me down all these years, because you can bluff all you want, but at the end of the day, if you only wanted to find MC, then you'd have done all of this work looking for him."

        Kuroo's mouth opened in protest, but then closed as he withdrew into himself.  Bokuto might have caught you off-guard, but nothing had prepared you for seeing Kuroo dejected. It was almost sad. The fallen panther gritted his teeth and couldn't even look at you. Which was actually a good thing, since he was difficult to look at him right now, too.  You wiped your sleeve across your face, getting rid of the dried tears and tried your best to bask in the most awkward silence you'd ever had the misfortune to be privy to. If someone had a machete, it'd still get caught on the tension in the room. 

        "....So," you said, clearing your throat and the silence at the same time, "Do uh... Do you really think you can catch him?"

        His eyes met yours with the intensity and drive that made you stay and entertain him instead of ditching him at the charity ball. It felt like that had been a week ago, and not just a few hours before. He had the same gift as you did, but for some reason he'd decided to use it for good. That was probably why he wasn't as well-practiced as you. The hair on your neck stood on end, and your breath got stuck in your throat, waiting on edge for him to answer.

        "Well..." he started, the beginnings of a playful smirk blooming on his face, "I caught you, didn't I?"

        A feeling of immense warmth washed over you like a warm shower in winter, taking your breath away, making you feel safe and utterly confusing you all at the same time. Puzzled, you pressed your hand against your heart, double-checking that it was beating as fast as it felt like it was. Just like you knew that he wasn't bluffing about knowing about your mother, something in your core was so sure that if anyone was going to track down that monster and bring him to justice, it was him.  You smiled to yourself and shook your head in disbelief. If someone had told you at the top of your con that you'd believe in a cop of all people the next day, you'd have taken everything they owned for even suggesting such a thing.  And it actually felt better than drifting from place to place and stealing treasures you could never even use.

        "Okay..." you sighed contently, "I'm in."

        Kuroo's face lit up like the fourth of July, but he tried to keep his cool. His cheeks were dusted rosy, and he couldn't help the smile on his face. 

        "OIKAWA!" he yelled at the wall behind him, " Get in here and greet your new teammate! I'll grab Bokuto!"

        That being said, he snatched your case file and power walked out the door, slamming it shut behind him. He was obviously hoping you wouldn't hear him, but he let out the biggest cheer in the world, followed by a high-five. His happiness was so contagious, you had to wiggle your toes and get all your smiles out before Oikawa got into the room, lest he see you in this state. Something told you that you were going to like it here. Well. Once you got your cuffs off, that is.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello there!   
> If some of you think you've seen this work before, it's because I'm copying it over from my Quotev! Musing and Starsy were already taken, so I got a little creative.
> 
> I already finished the first arc of this, so while I'm brainstorming for the next one, I'll be moving it over here!


End file.
